The Taliban leader is believed to be responsible for coordinating and directing insurgents and of having maintained direct operational control of suicide bombers prepared to carry out attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, officials said. The security force also arrested three other suspected insurgents.

In other Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- In Kandahar province’s Arghandab district, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator believed to be responsible for the acquisition and distribution of lethal aid for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and to be heavily involved in the finances of an insurgent network in the district. The security force also arrested another suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force in Logar province’s Pul-e Alam district arrested three insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader believed to be responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also has been linked to kidnapping Afghans for ransom and establishing illegal checkpoints, officials said.

-- In Ghazni province’s Andar district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader believed to be responsible for procuring and distributing automatic weapons and roadside bombs to insurgents and to have personally planned and executed attacks. The security force also arrested another suspected insurgent.